sutton schools selective test today

[Lily99]

My DS sat the eligibility test today for the Sutton schools and didn't finish the English - should we prepare him now for bad news or did many children find this one tough?

[Dibbleofficer]

Fair comments all. Commute is one train ride luckily from Forest Hill. So it's in the mix.

[Ladymuck]

Not sure, as we didn't look at St Olave's.

The one thing that I would look at very carefully is the commute involved, both in terms of duration, cost and complexity (more bus changes means bigger chance of delay or bag going to totally the wrong area). Given that they are both superselectives (with the pros and cons that brings), don't make an 11 yearold's day harder than necessary, and remember by years 10 and 11 they will resent the commute especially with the amount of homework!

[Dibbleofficer]

I am going to start sounding like my old friend Parent2013 but academically the 2 schools seem on a par. Differences in culture are very important to me , if there are any?

[Ladymuck]

St Olaves, without a doubt.

[Dibbleofficer]

Wilson vs St olaves , any thoughts or experience . Many thanks

[shaq]

Well, DS has cleared that hurdle...

Will have a hard time to convince him that he still needs to focus for the Sutton test, and that passing the exam doesn't mean he is in!

If he was as worried as me, everything would be fine!

[Ladymuck]

No, they only give out scores if you don't pass.

That said there are 3 Sutton grammar schools with a total of 420 spaces, and Wallington doesn't pass more than 450 odd. Many of those sitting will have sat for Kent, St Olaves, Tiffins or QE depending on where they live, and of course Trinity and Whitgift have very generous scholarship and bursary funds.

[Xoanon]

Do you get an indication of where in the ranking you come? Otherwise that's not terribly helpful, is it? I thought the change in the rules was supposed to make things more helpful...

The GS my DD1 goes to (and DD2 will go to) sets out 3 categories - passed all 3 elements (category A) passed 2 (category B) the rest (category C). Places are filled from Cat A first then Cat B. So long as Cat A is smaller than total number of places, if you're there, then you will get a place (failing catastrophic messing up of completing the CAF). Which is rather more helpful than before the system changed.

[Ladymuck]

Wilsons results are out. Only 704 sat the 2nd stage, with 424 passing.

[gazzalw]

One could be truly cruelanarchic and suggest that those who are ill (whether genuinely or not) don't get a second bite at the cherry! Harsh but fair.....

DS wasn't at all well when he took his KS2 Maths Level 6 (he had the slapped cheek virus) but we sent him in anyway because the school had basically been raising children from their sick beds to go in and do all the tests, ill or not.... He didn't pass it (because he wasn't feeling well) but that's life...I'm sure some parents would have canvassed for a resit....

[Ladymuck]

My last post was meant to be tongue in cheek, but actually, yes, I would expect them to anticipate that the paper would be discussed in online forums. And clearly "admissionslady" did, hence my surprise. I assumed all educational establishments would be fairly aware of forums/social media etc, especially those whose pupils have to do public exams. Or do they isolate pupils who have clashes of GCSE papers, but still let them have broadband access to The Student Room?

[bananadrama]

I know of a boy who got a place at a grammar school after taking the test on an alternative date due to genuine illness. My DS was taking the grammar tests that year too & I thought it was very unfair as the late sitting of the test was 10 days after the initial test. This leaves far too much time for boys to gain information regarding what was in the test. It was also a very much more relaxed occasion at the late sitting due to a much smaller number of boys taking the test. Nothing like the crowds we see on the usual test days which is pretty stressful.

[gazzalw]

Well you wouldn't necessarily expect them to know about Mumsnet's wide-reaching tentacles....I'm sure they are aware of it as a force for good or possibly corruption as with the penis-beaker thread but they probably aren't aware that their exams are the subject of much scrutiny and nail-biting...

One of the Sutton Super-selective Registrars used to make a habit of keeping abreast of any threads about her particular school but she's moved on now....

[Dibbleofficer]

The are very naive, seems to be no re engineering of the paper for the late takers planned or standisation to give a level playing field for those who sat on the appointed day. grammar schools must get a grip of this epidemic of "sickness" on the day of the exam. Some are undoubtably genuinely Unwell, but do not underestimate the depths others will stoop to , I have heard genuine horror stories.

[Chillyraisin]

Made me think the same as you ladymuck. Now they are aware of possibility of leaks. Had to tell them what section and did mention that the msg has been deleted from the thread. They asked what was the English content discussed. I don't think they know about eleven plus forum
either.

[Ladymuck]

"They were very very surprised and didn't know anything about the forum."



This makes me view the school in a completely different light! Could I possibly send my son to a school which didn't know anything about Mumsnet? Are they really preparing their pupils for the big wide world out there?

Do you think they've ever come across the elevenplusexams forum? Now that is an eye-opener!

[Dibbleofficer]

What ideas of cheating

[miss600]

Maybe you've given people ideas here!

[Chillyraisin]

I just spoke to the admissions office and gave them the full picture. They were very very surprised and didn't know anything about the forum. They made a note and assured me that they will be passing this info to the directors. Said they will change the English paper.
Don't we already have enough stress of the anticipation of the exam results!

[gazzalw]

But for all you know some of the boys taking the exams in the first place might actually be doing them with no intention of taking up places. They may be educational spy 'plants' who then going back and tell other families (friends/relatives) with children 'ill' on the day of the test, what's in the exam....

I am quite sure that the schools must use something to manipulate the scores of later sitting applicants to factor for exam paper question leakage....

I actually think the children get 'primed' to sit the tests when they do and actually delaying the exam, although in theory giving valuable extra revision/fine-honing practice, may actually work against a lot of them - adrenalin can work positively as well as negatively....

Oh dear....

[SweetPenelope]

How do you know "hundreds feigned illness"? Some of the empty seats could be people not bothering to tell the school that they didn't want to sit the exam.

I do think that they need to change the exam though. It was a big clue.

[Chillyraisin]

I am notifying the school too. You are right dibble officer,our children have put in a lot of effort and It has been stressful journey for both parents and the child. Can't let anything jeopardise it. Even a mark can cost the child his place.

[JustAnotherUserName]

Yes, remember that in Tiffins late test last year only 1 out of 127 made the grade!
Didn't see the message, but chill, there must be some standardisation going on to deal with "leakage".

[Ladymuck]

I don't think that the boys who sat were sworn to secrecy. The school might suspect that boys in a later sitting know something of what they will be facing and have taken appropriate measures.

[Dibbleofficer]

This is totally ridiculous . My lad has worked his socks off for these exams. Then one person totally blows content wide open to hundreds of parents who have feigned illness for their children to get an advantage(outrageous in itself) . Please could people have some moral fibre and consideration. The school will be notified by me.